Page 144 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2019

HEALTHY LIVING tricks HOME
REMEDIES
Are They Good for What Ails You?
story by Lynn Lofton
We’ve all heard of various home remedies. The cure for what ails you may be as close as your kitchen or bathroom cabinets.
Local honey is touted for many reasons, including keeping allergies at bay. A mixture of honey and crushed peppermint candy, or honey and whiskey if you’re over 21, will cure a cough, right?
A paste of oatmeal and water is said to relieve the itching of bug bites. Or better still, rub down with Avon’s Skin So Soft or a sheet of fabric softener before venturing outside and the bugs won’t bite.
Then there’s the old standby, Vick’s Vaporub, that unstuffs a stuffy nose or relieves a congested chest. I’ve just heard that putting some in the shower will really release
those vapors and there are even packs now especially made for showers, making it safer from slipping.
There are a number of herbs used in alternative medicine. The liquid inside the aloe vera plant is supposed to heal cuts. Eucalyptus, cat’s claw, ginger and turmeric are often cited for their healing properties.
Arthritis afflicts many people, especially
as we get older and joints have had years of wear and tear. Among the home remedies
to help alleviate pain are sipping ginger
tea, applying a chamomile tea poultice and breathing in fragrant spices such as lavender. Japanese researchers found that lavender reduces levels of the stress hormone
cortisol, making patients feel relaxed and less aware of pain. A more natural diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole
grains and fish will lessen inflammation.
If you’re really into the home remedy mode, how about making your own heat pad? You take a cotton sock (no synthetic fiber ‘cause the heat will melt it), fill it with uncooked rice, seal it, and microwave on high for two to three minutes.
Parents with sick children will try anything — home remedy or store bought — to alleviate suffering. I had asthma as a child and my dear, sweet parents heard that drinking goat’s milk would prevent attacks. They dutifully bought a goat and milked her every day and I drank it. I can’t say it cured me, but it tasted good. Now that I’m armed with local honey, fabric softener sheets, Vicks shower capsules, and
a sock full of rice, I’m ready to face my aches and pains. There’s just one thing: does anyone know where I can
buy a good milk
goat?
144 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • May 2019
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